Calgary Fire Department stresses importance of carbon monoxide detectors during extreme cold snaps

How to protect yourself against carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and deadly, and when temperatures go down, the odds of it being in your homes go up.

The Calgary Fire Department is once again stressing the importance of working carbon monoxide detectors.

As the temperatures plunge, calls about carbon monoxide levels tend to spike.

Since the beginning of this week, the fire department has attended 30 carbon monoxide-related calls.

Calgary Fire Department spokesperson Carol Henke said all carbon monoxide calls are treated as life-threatening emergencies.

“Carbon monoxide is potentially deadly,” said Henke. “Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-irritating. You will not know it's there.”

That is why she says a working carbon monoxide detector is one of the most important devices you can have in your home.

“It is really important to maintain your carbon monoxide alarm,” said Henke. “You should push the test button once a month to make sure the battery is working, and please, please check the expiry date.”  Most new carbon monoxide detectors are built to last 10 years.

Henke said about 85 per cent of the carbon monoxide calls to the fire department are the result of a faulty detector, most often from a dead battery.

Despite that, Henke said no one will receive a bill for a false alarm if they report the carbon monoxide detector is going off even if no carbon monoxide is found in their home.

“As far as we’re concerned, it is a real call because your alarm has gone off and there is a concern.” said Henke “So we’ll come in with our detectors and we’ll do a sweep of the whole house and even one or two parts per million will register on our devices.”

Henke said there is no safe level of carbon monoxide in a home environment, because it accumulates in your blood, meaning lengthy exposure to even very small levels can be potentially fatal.

COLD SPELLS

Kyle Fagnan of Fagnan’s Furnace said they see an increasing number of furnaces with carbon monoxide problems during cold spells.

“It’s something we see on an almost weekly basis in the winter,” said Fagnan, “shutting down and releasing carbon monoxide into the home.”

Regular furnace maintenance is the best thing a homeowner can do to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

“Change your furnace filter,” Fagnan said. “If your furnace filter is dirty, it’s causing the furnace to overheat, when the furnace actually causes a lot of stress on the heat exchanger and then at that point you’re going to develop cracks.”

“Once you have a crack in your heat exchanger,” Fagnan added, “you’re going to start releasing carbon monoxide into your home.”

Fagnan said a furnace should be inspected at least every two years. ATCO Gas offers free inspections of natural gas appliances.

Additionally, Fagnan said it’s important to go to the outside of your home and check the furnace air intake and outflow pipes to make sure they are not clogged.

Henke added that furnaces aren’t the only cause of carbon monoxide problems in homes, pointing out that hot water tanks, fireplaces and even wood-burning fireplaces can produce carbon monoxide.

Another problem the fire department has had to deal with is during cold weather, people leave their cars running in their garage, something she said could be potentially deadly -- not just for the homeowner, but even their neighbours.

“With remote car starters, it’s a significant danger of people starting their cars, even by accident,” said Henke. “Now your garage and then your home are filling up with carbon monoxide and if you live in a townhouse or a duplex, it could migrate to other homes as well.”